Culver City dived headlong into one of the most high-profile and partisan issues of the last 20 years on March 27 when city leaders voted to make the “Heart of Screenland” a sanctuary city.
The 3-1 vote came just after 12:30 a.m. and followed an intense, spirited and at times raucous debate over whether or not Culver City should join other California cities in allowing undocumented immigrants residency.
Vice Mayor Jeffrey Cooper was the lone dissenter. Councilman Gorän Erikkson did not attend the meeting.
In deciding to become a sanctuary city, the City Council adopted the American Civil Liberties Union 9 Model.
Under the ACLU model, Culver City will require a judicial warrant before detaining and turning anyone in to federal immigration authorities, will not permit immigration officers access city facilities without a court order or legitimate law enforcement purpose, will require federal immigration agents to wear jackets and badges when given access to city facilities and will not inquire about a person’s immigration status, unless there is a legitimate law enforcement purpose.
While the subject matter was highly-charged during the three and a half hour debate, most speakers were respectful.
Council leaders sought to establish decorum early on and Mayor Jim Clarke had to admonish members of the audience several times for outbursts and threatened to have repeat offenders removed.
Cooper did have one audience member taken out of council chambers by police for what he considered inappropriate conduct.
The audience was overwhelming in favor of Culver City adopting sanctuary city status.
Opponents warned of potential rising crime rates and the need to focus on legalized citizens. One speaker suggested that the city’s homeless population deserved the council’s attention more than refugees or undocumented immigrants.
Harim Uzeil, who said he lives on the Culver City-Los Angeles border, claimed to have heard of undocumented immigrants committing rapes in Los Angeles, another sanctuary city. “You people are stupid! All we’re asking for is law and order!” he shouted.
Sanctuary city supporters held up signs that read “Sanctuary Now” and made their case for Culver City to be inclusive and to resist President Donald Trump’s threat to deprive sanctuary cities of federal funding.
Alex Fisch referenced to recent news reports about long-time upstanding citizens who have been living in the United States for years being deported because of their undocumented status. “Let’s send a clear message to all of Culver City’s neighbors that they need not fear our police force,” Fisch said.
Culver City Police Chief Scott Bixby reiterated what he has stated before about his department regarding immigration. “The Culver City Police Dept. is not interested in enforcing immigration laws. That is not our function,” he told the council.
Tiffany Lanoix, who was born and raised in Culver City and recently returned, said the time the council to stand up for what they believed in was imminent. “Let’s not just talk about diversity. Let’s be a sanctuary city,” she said.
Donna Peaman said she was against Culver City joining other municipalities that protect immigrants because, in her view, sanctuary cities protect criminals.
“[President] Donald Trump has the right to do what he wants to do. This isn’t about the person who works two or three jobs. I say no to sanctuary cities,” Peaman said. “Sanctuary cities are about holding up criminals who do rape, murder and assault.”
But to La Ballona Elementary School teacher Wade McMillian, whether a child was in the United States legally or not will not prevent him from doing his job. “I don’t care about a student’s immigration status. I’ll teach anyone who walks into my classroom,” he said.
Prior to the meeting, Clarke told the News that he felt that Culver City was already acting like a sanctuary city.
“Our police department doesn’t ask for info on immigration status so [it] has no such info to share with ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], [the] police don’t participate or assist in ICE raids and we do not turn over to ICE anyone we are holding without a proper court order or warrant,” Clarke said.
So far California lawmakers and public safety heads have vowed to resist any attempt by the federal government to force them to assist federal immigration officers in locating undocumented citizens.
Both Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck have been outspoken about their plans to resist any attempt to force them to enforce federal immigration laws.
Earlier that afternoon, U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions warned jurisdictions against adopting sanctuary status. He reiterated the Trump administration’s pledge to withhold federal funding from current sanctuary cities and those seeking sanctuary status.
But Culver City leaders were undeterred in their decision.